Wildland Firefighters Knife

[Fireman]

Thank you Sal!
A sheepsfoot military in LC200N would be awesome! I would prefer the G10 version that you could disassemble and clean better. My design that I drew has a sheepsfoot like design with a few extra tricks that I would like to discuss with you and your team.

Hi Fireman,

Not only thanx for your service, thanx for being here and sharing. Nothing makes a knife happier than serving it's master.

While I've not given it a lot of thought, A Sheepfoot Military FRN might serve?

sal

[JRinFL]

Hi Fireman,

Not only thanx for your service, thanx for being here and sharing. Nothing makes a knife happier than serving it's master.

While I've not given it a lot of thought, A Sheepfoot Military FRN might serve?

sal

Possible Sal bombshell of the decade.

[Dazen]

Hi Fireman,

Not only thanx for your service, thanx for being here and sharing. Nothing makes a knife happier than serving it's master.

While I've not given it a lot of thought, A Sheepfoot Military FRN might serve?

sal

You had me at Sheepfoot, it could be made of tin and cardboard and I’d buy it! LC200N with Green FRN would be amazing as well!

[Doc Dan]

Things are really interesting at Spyderville, these days.

[Doc Dan]

Thank you Sal!
A sheepsfoot military in LC200N would be awesome! I would prefer the G10 version that you could disassemble and clean better. My design that I drew has a sheepsfoot like design with a few extra tricks that I would like to discuss with you and your team.

Hi Fireman,

Not only thanx for your service, thanx for being here and sharing. Nothing makes a knife happier than serving it's master.

While I've not given it a lot of thought, A Sheepfoot Military FRN might serve?

sal

The FRN can be taken apart, easily. It can be made with glow in the dark or bright vivid colors. The glow in the dark already exists in FRN and it works great. The G10 can take a tritium insert. Sal has already toyed with that idea.

[Fireman]

Regarding FRN, I have not carried a FRN handled knife so my experience is lacking in this area but obviously they work well and people love them. All the Spyderco knives I have used were either micarta, carbon fiber or G10. I liked the stainless handles but found them too heavy for my personal EDC. Obviously we run calls all hours of the night and mostly work 24 hour shifts on the line when things are burning so bright colors and glow in the dark has benefits for sure. I have often used the glow in the dark paint on my Omega Seamaster to see sometimes when I had nothing else in the dark. I am used to carrying big light knives and loved EDC carrying the Spyderco civilian and Military. I am partial to the G10 because I have lots of faith in them due to years of personal experience with them. My EDC carry has mostly been tip down tucked in my pants at my thigh crease for a secure carry and I would grab the knife by the hole between my thumb and index finger to flick out the handle to open and that requires a bit more weight than the FRN handles but I have never seen anyone else carry like that. I can carry a big knife like the Military and Civilian discreetly and securely that way with no mobility issues of the knife getting in the way or losing it.

[Sonorum]

In many ways this sounds like a Carribean sheepsfoot?

[Menipo]

Deleted. (I didn't realize that my suggestion had been already discussed)

[rozzi]

I was a firefighter for 35 years. Searching for the best available knife was a never ending quest. I have tried many different styles and models. Having said that, my experience in wildland firefighting is limited. One aspect of a good knife for firefighting that is generally ignored is the ease of closing with firefighting gloves. Liner locks? difficult. Compression locks? difficult. Back locks? Better. Button locks? Better. Also, the ease of opening needs to be considered. While I love the Spyder hole, with gloves it can be problematic for one handed opening. A disk works better. (I know, heresy). Automatic works best. After I retired I found what to me was the best available option. The Autonomy 1. Easy to open, easy to close. Designed for cutting. So, when my daughter finished her recruit academy, I gave her one, and it is serving her well. I also gave one to my son-in-law who is a smoke jumper in Alaska. it works for him too. Just my thoughts and observations

[Wartstein]

I was a firefighter for 35 years. Searching for the best available knife was a never ending quest. I have tried many different styles and models. Having said that, my experience in wildland firefighting is limited. One aspect of a good knife for firefighting that is generally ignored is the ease of closing with firefighting gloves. Liner locks? difficult. Compression locks? difficult. Back locks? Better. Button locks? Better. Also, the ease of opening needs to be considered. While I love the Spyder hole, with gloves it can be problematic for one handed opening. A disk works better. (I know, heresy). Automatic works best. After I retired I found what to me was the best available option. The Autonomy 1. Easy to open, easy to close. Designed for cutting. So, when my daughter finished her recruit academy, I gave her one, and it is serving her well. I also gave one to my son-in-law who is a smoke jumper in Alaska. it works for him too. Just my thoughts and observations

Welcome to the forum! :)

You certainly have more experience than I do concerning the use of folders with gloves on, especially firefighting gloves!

But doing a lot of mountaineering I have some background here too.
My experience, concerning use with gloves: Linerlock: Very good (think Military liner lock); Backlock: Also very good (just a bit behind the linerlock); CBBL: Not too much experience here concerning use with gloves on, but decent I´d say; Comp. lock: Clearly my least choice for "glove use", though it depends a bit on the width of the handle and the size of the cutout for the lock tab.

[odomandr]

i know you are concerned with the legality of the automatic but being in the role you are in, I would explore that option a bit more. these are the exact circumstances within which it is designed i feel

[Fireman]

I agree with you in spirit but we have to follow the laws as they exist and it is not worth getting a felony and losing your career over a deployment method of a tool. I wish the laws were different.

[Menipo]

I agree with you in spirit but we have to follow the laws as they exist and it is not worth getting a felony and losing your career over a deployment method of a tool. I wish the laws were different.

If the laws and regulations (at a federal, state and local level) have to be changed to authorize Wildland Firefighters on duty to carry autos (something which seems logical), probably the time is now. Politicians are not, for sure, aware of your needs and maybe the Forest Service could ring the appropriate bells at the USDA to quickly solve the problem. Just an idea.

[Fireman]

A thought on glow in the dark, Tritium does not need to be charged to glow and has its advantages. I was wondering if the nested liners covered in a good performing glow the dark paint inside clear handles would perform or what the comparable costs would be compared to existing options.

[abbazaba]

I don't know much about the options and legality, but having a handle with serveral BYO tritium insert spots seems like a fun idea. The GITD FRN Endura I have doesn't stay bright long. The flashlight I have with tritium is always easy to find in the dark.

[carrot]

It just struck me. The (long discontinued) ATR seems like it could lend us its blade pattern and overall shape, with its sheepsfoot, big opening hole, Cobra Hood, and glove-friendly design.



It'd be a heck of a blade in SpyderEdge.

[Fireman]

https://www.keepthetime.com/blog/super-luminova/

this was an educational read about the super glow in the dark paint.

One of my concerns is that the “perfect” knife not be too expensive where only a few people who it was designed for can afford them. I am grateful for how generous Spyderco is in giving discounts to those who serve by the way :) Wildland firefighters are some of the lowest paid firefighters and would not want to have too high of a production cost but having the option of upgrades is a great idea. I am guilty of wanting the best and the best value and that is why I love so many Spyderco knives.

[Menipo]

https://www.keepthetime.com/blog/super-luminova/

this was an educational read about the super glow in the dark paint.

I have two Luminox watches with tritium inserts. I bought one in 1996 and the other in 2000. After 24/20 years, the inserts have lost some luminiscence but they fulfil their purpose without any problem. They were not cheap but didn't cost a fortune, so I tend to believe that the cost of tritium inserts in the WF knife should be manageable....

[JRinFL]

I'm not sure that tritium inserts would survive the use and abuse a knife designed for wildland firefighters would put it through. Just tapping in a night sight on a pistol with a brass punch is enough to break one, which is why they recommend sight pushers only. Seems like it would drive costs up with little actual benefit.
I also believe there are some regulatory concerns for manufacturers of products using tritium.

[Fireman]

I like a knife that can be a platform that people can change to suit their tastes and needs like swappable scales etcetera. Perhaps tritium or super glow in the dark pained parts could be an after market option.